This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/209,315 filed Jul. 30, 2002, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,035; which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/111,553 filed Jul. 7, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,050; which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/030,578 filed Feb. 24, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,780. The disclosure of each of the prior applications is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of this application.
The present invention relates to multi-well platforms, lids, caddies and any combination thereof that are generally described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/111,553, filed Jul. 7, 1998 (the '553 application); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/030,578, filed Feb. 24, 1998 (the '578 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/028,283, filed Feb. 24, 1998 (the '283 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/858,016, filed May 16, 1997 (the '016 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/867,567, filed Jun. 2, 1997 (the '567 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/868,018, filed Jun. 3, 1997 (the '018 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/867,584, filed Jun. 2, 1997 (the '584 application), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/868,049, filed Jun. 3, 1997 (the '049 application); each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Designs for the multi-well platforms, lids, and caddies of the present invention have been set forth in the '578 application, the '283 application, the '567 application, the '018 application, the '584 application, and the '049 application. Designs for the multi-well platform have also been described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/081,749, filed Jan. 7, 1998 (the '749 application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/081,969, filed Jan. 12, 1998 (the '969 application) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/081,976, filed Jan. 12, 1998 (the '976 application), each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The multi well platforms, lids, caddies and combinations described herein can be used in any of the methods or other aspects of the inventions described in the '578 application, the '283 application, the '016 application, the '567 application, the '018 application, the '584 application, or the '049 application.